VOLKSWAGEN AND UMICORE PLAN TO BUILD A BATTERY PLANT IN NEW BRUNSWICK

By Éric Descarries

Automotive News Canada reports that Ionway, a joint venture between Volkswagen battery manufacturer PowerCo and Belgian battery materials manufacturer Umicore, is considering New Brunswick as one of its production sites. However, no specific details have yet been released.

Ionway’s first battery materials facility is due to be built shortly in Nysa, Poland, and will supply PowerCo plants in Europe. Incidentally, last autumn Umicore confirmed its role in the construction of another battery materials plant in Loyalist Townships near Kingston, Ontario. The initial customer is AESC, a BMW Group cell supplier. AESC already has three plants in operation or under construction in the United States.